Whatever It Takes!

A team of 24 returned over the weekend from a rain-soaked but action-packed 10-day mission trip to Haiti. Below is an account of some of the team’s activities, written by TCC’s missionary to Haiti, Melonnie Kelly. See photos from the trip here.

Sunday
The team had a rainy but fun day. They started with church across the street this morning. It was a special New Year’s service so there was lots of singing and celebrating. A visiting pastor from a Christian college in Nebraska preached with a translator, so we were all able to hear God's Word in a language we could understand.

This afternoon was filled with rain, unpacking and sorting supplies, more rain, setting up tents, cleaning out a storeroom and organizing the pantry, loving on the baby orphanage babies and the Miriam Center kids and more rain.

Tomorrow’s plans include a couple different construction projects, a carnival with the nutritional program kids, sports camp, dance camp and meals on feet — ALL outside activities. It has been raining pretty much since everyone got here.

Monday
Today was amazing! It was pouring out all day long, but that didn't stop the team! They found all kinds of projects to jump in on. They helped out in the Miriam Center, moving beds, laying foam tiles on the floors and loving on the kids. They did hut-to-hut visits in the pouring rain. They held the babies from the baby orphanage while another team painted it. They delivered "meals on feet" to the granmoun (elderly) downtown this afternoon.

Tuesday
The sun was shining this morning (and most of the day) so plans were full steam ahead. The team started off two construction projects today, clearing the property for the new greenhouse we are building and preparing the roof for one more baby bungalow for the baby orphanage. Lots of heavy lifting!

Anyone not involved in construction helped another team run a carnival for the nutritional program kids. All hands on deck and it was a huge success!

The afternoon involved more construction, a sports camp for 100 boys and a dance camp for the girls. Meals on feet (delivering food to the elderly) ended a very busy day.

Wednesday
Another day of changed plans for the team. This morning brought the news that the orphanage trip wasn't going to be possible for today. The mountain roads are just too wet and slippery from all of the rain we've been having. The team was very disappointed but quickly pulled together a new plan for the rest of the week so that the trip could be rescheduled.

They held a sports camp this morning and a street VBS this afternoon. There were hut-to-huts, dance parties in the Miriam Center and granmoun feedings. I was incredibly proud of the way they continued to make the most of every situation and didn't waste a moment.

Thursday
The team had an AMAZING day today! For once the rainy weather didn't interfere. It just made the day more interesting.

The day was spent in Ansefelour. It was a muddy ride there and back with much starting and stopping, pushing and walking. The important thing is we made it! We started with a VBS at the church for 150 kids. We then made our way to the voodoo temple. It was an eye opening experience for all of the new people for sure. They were able to sit in the room where the people go to pray. They then toured the temple seeing where the people stay that move in to pray until their prayers are answered.

The rain stopped a few from trying the mountain but most made their way up to the voodoo monument at the top. It was a VERY muddy hike up there and very slippery hike down. Well worth it as praying in the name of Jesus in the midst of such darkness is amazing.
The day ended with meals on feet. A busy but great day for everyone!

Friday
The team had a good trip to the orphanage. It was 6 hours round trip on the bus so it was a LONG day but good. The field day was a huge success!

Saturday
Today they are heading off to Tortuga for VBS and soccer and will have a Christmas party for the granmoun and Miriam Center kids this afternoon. They leave at 4:30 tomorrow morning to start the trip home.

The Largest City in the World

A team from Tomoka Christian recently spent a week at an orphanage in Mexico City called Ninos de Mexico. Bryan Maynard was a member of that team. A report from him is here.

I was a late addition to the Ninos de Mexico mission team after someone else canceled. It was my first mission trip, but hopefully not my last! I really did not know what to expect, except for long busy days with lots of work to do. Our work project included work at the houses and at the church helping with Vacation Bible School.

We arrived in Mexico on Saturday afternoon and met some of the staff: Matt, Tiffany, and Erin. Such young people doing great work at Ninos! We also met the kids of Esperanza House and toured their facility. Afterward we played a nice game of supposedly non-competitive volleyball. We failed miserably against those teenagers!

A friend had given me Philippians 1:2 for our journey. During our devotion time Saturday night I read Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:19. I would pray this verse at the start of each day during our trip.

Sunday morning we went to the church and met the pastor and attended the worship service. It was different hearing songs we sing at Tomoka translated to Spanish. It actually made the worship service very comfortable for me. The building sits beside a busy street and sidewalk that was very noisy all morning. However, one thing that really struck me was when the worship leader began to pray before communion the street became very quiet. At that moment I felt that the Holy Spirit was in control. After the worship service two young ladies were baptized. Could this day get better?

Sunday afternoon the church staff invited us to dinner at the church. We met more of the staff and also planned some of the activities we would use during the week for Vacation Bible School. After our dinner we broke into two vans and went into the community to parks, playgrounds, and a grocery store to hand out flyers to children inviting them to VBS.

VBS was an amazing experience. We arrived early Monday morning only to find a few children running about. Soon after, the vans started arriving with many children. When everyone was finally counted the Monday total was 150. We thought that it couldn’t get any better. We were wrong! It wasn’t up to us. Tuesday’s total was 162. Wednesday’s total was 170. Thursday was 210, and on Friday they counted 230. By Friday there were not enough chairs for everyone to sit. The room was filled! It was a great feeling just being in the room.

Our team was very busy all week. We took care of the games at VBS. We also helped with the arts and crafts, in the nursery. Anywhere we were needed we did our best to help.

We had the opportunity to visit each of the four houses, meet the children and the house parents. We also met Dr. Noe and saw the medical clinic.

Ninos and the church are a tremendous outreach to the community there. They do so much with so little, in contrast to the U.S. culture that has so much and does so little.

As for me, it was definitely an eye-opening experience. I look at things differently than before. I can still see the look on the kids’ faces, the smiles. I remember the way they had trouble communicating with me, and me likewise. I must learn how speak some basic Spanish before going back!

I hope to have the opportunity to return to Ninos, and also have my wife and son share the experience with me.

May we give God all the glory. Adios for now.